


Nauk-d Ni, The Red One

by Lidsworth



Series: The Red One [1]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, Torture, Violence, inspired by gladiators, ratings to go up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-08-12 20:19:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7947694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lidsworth/pseuds/Lidsworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maedhros learns early on that to survive in Angband, he must fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nauk-d Ni, The Red One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gultgull](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=gultgull).



> Please go check out their art, it is amazing—as is this idea! They came up with Gladiator Maedhros a while ago while we spoke, and I really wanted to write it for them. I don’t think anyone has ever entertained the idea of Maedhros fighting orcs to survive, nor becoming particularly victorious. So I believe this idea is very unique, and I only hope I give it the justice it deserves.
> 
> here's their art-> http://gultgull.tumblr.com/post/143805623069/a-sketch-i-made-earlier-today-based-upon-a-few#notes  
> http://gultgull.tumblr.com/post/149897449084/some-more-gladiator-maedhros-sketches-i-forgot-to#notes

Originally, it had been intended as a game of pure sadism. A small sliver of entertainment granted to the orcs in light of their rather depressing lives (even _they_ needed hope every once in a while. For they were elves after all, and a lack of will to live produced quite undesirable results). Throw him into the pit of equally deranged prisoners—some half turned elves, others barely recognizable—and watch them demolish _him._

His desperation had been thick in the air during his first fight. Denied food and water to the brink of starvation days before, the tall elf was rather thin and lanky, not even suitable to battle a child. Yet all in Angband knew this, more specifically those tall orcs who shoved the disoriented red head into the ring, providing him with only a blunt letter opener as a means of defense knew this.  

He had barely registered the loud “clang” as the door was shut quickly behind him, as confused as he was. And the orcs above and around the ring cackled as the poor elf walked into the center, mind made mad and dull by his torture.

All at once they released the mindless, vicious creatures into the ring; and all at once they came towards the Son of Feanor.

They were not to kill him, no. Orc archers perched carefully above would ensure that they didn’t. They were only to hurt him. They were to break his will and make him bleed until he _wished_ for death.

They were not to kill him. But neither was he them.

Within seconds the foolish looking red head, dressed in nothing but dirty rags and bone thin, had managed to decimate each and every orc that came his way. Something had changed in those empty eyes, and a fire long thought extinguished had arisen from the embers.

For this was a Son of Feanor standing before them—and within moments, the dirt of the ring was soaked with orc blood as a heavy silence hung about the ring.

Maedhros had won.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's short but it is just the prologue! Will be updating more throughout the month. Hope you liked it, as always, i'm open up to critique!  
> also, check out my tumblr for more --> inkstranger.tumblr.com


End file.
